More Israeli soldiers, Gazans killed in conflicts

JERUSALEM/GAZA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Friday one of soldierswas killed during an operation in the northern Gaza Strip, according to an army statement.

The death of the 36-year old Master Sergeant Yair Ashkenaz has put the body count of killed Israeli soldiers since the start of a military campaign early this month at 33.

Also on Friday, and in Israel's continuous airstrikes and ground incursion, 29 Palestinians were killed, while more than 200 others were wounded, said medics and witnesses.

Ashraf al-Qedra, Gaza health ministry spokesman, told reporters that the total death toll of Gazans climbed up to 835, with more than 5300 wounded, adding "most of the victims are civilians, including women and children."

In a Hamas statement, the Israeli war jets reduced the house of one of its senior leaders Salah al-Bardaweel in southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis to rubbles.

The Islamic Jihad movement also said that Salah Abu Hassanein, a local leader of the movement in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, was killed together with two of his sons when Israeli war jets' missiles struck their house.